Gibbs: “If the Blame Game Put People to Work, We’d All Be Rolling in Money”
EmailABC News’ Tom Giusto reports:
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs discussed bipartisanship, the public health care option, economic stimulus and presidential letters of condolence for military suicide victims at today White House briefing.
On the lack of bipartisan agreement on ways to stimulate the economy, Gibbs said, “Look, the American people have watched for decades the blame game, all right? If the blame game put people to work, we'd all be rolling in money. The blame game — I'm glad some people want to continue playing the blame game. That doesn't work. That doesn't get anybody a job. It doesn't cut people's taxes.
“We took some extraordinary actions. We wish there would have been more Republican support for taking those actions and pulling our economy back from an economic cliff, falling into another Great Depression.”
If the Republicans won’t go along, even with ideas they once promoted, is the Obama administration willing to go it alone? Gibbs said, “If the president outlines ideas that the Republicans have previously supported and then Republicans seem unwilling to support the ideas they supported then now, you can leave it up to others to judge why it is they don't want to participate in a solution that we all agree and we've said in the past would put people back to work.”
Once again Gibbs pointed out that some of the economic problems the Obama administration are dealing with were inherited. “Given the fact that the largest — the largest driver in our fiscal irresponsibility were a series of programs that weren't paid for — right? — taxes cut in 2001 and 2003 that weren't paid for; a Medicare prescription drug benefit that wasn't paid for; wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that weren't paid for. Again, the debate that we're having on health care now is partly about how to pay for it.
“I appreciate the ability to forget anything that happened before we got here. The president inherited an economic downturn. He inherited a massive budget deficit. He understands one thing, the American people put him here to solve the problems that were created, however and by whoever they were created. That's what the president's going to do. He's going to make decisions that won't be all together wildly popular with the American people. But I think he believes that the American people will understand that we're making those tough decisions to pull ourselves back from falling into another Great Depression.”
“The president recognizes that the era of continued free lunches is over.”
On health insurance reform, would Gibbs have rather had a public option included in the Senate bill? “You know, you're asking me if the president would rather have won the lottery. We're making progress. The president supports this process as a — in terms of both good policy and as a way of moving that process forward.
Gibbs also indicated a change may be forthcoming in the military policy that says the President should not write condolence letters to the families of service members who commit suicide. “The president believes that the previous policy that didn't write those letters can and should be reviewed, said Gibbs. “ And that review is ongoing. If the president didn't care, the policy would remain unchanged and unexamined. The president cares deeply, and has asked for that review to take place.
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You know what else doesn’t get anybody a job or cut anybody’s taxes? This Congress and this administration.
Did anybody ask whether Gibbs’ disapproval of “the blame game” meant that they were going to quit blaming George Bush for not eradicating war and poverty before Obama took office?
Posted by: bgates | December 9, 2009, 4:33 pm 4:33 pm
He is right .They are still blaming Bush and they are rolling in money .
Posted by: nat turner | December 9, 2009, 4:42 pm 4:42 pm
“Given the fact that the largest — the largest driver in our fiscal irresponsibility were a series of programs that weren’t paid for — right? — taxes cut in 2001 and 2003 that weren’t paid for; a Medicare prescription drug benefit that wasn’t paid for; wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that weren’t paid for. Again, the debate that we’re having on health care now is partly about how to pay for it.
“I appreciate the ability to forget anything that happened before we got here. The president inherited an economic downturn. He inherited a massive budget deficit. He understands one thing, the American people put him here to solve the problems that were created, however and by whoever they were created. That’s what the president’s going to do.”
_________________________________
One of the clearest statements we’ve heard from Robert Gibbs.
Posted by: tierra | December 9, 2009, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm
matt you are playing the blame game.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | December 9, 2009, 4:53 pm 4:53 pm
When will the Socialists realize… even if we all re-started life on a level playing field, the vast majority would end up in exactly the same place they are today. We make our choices. Some lead to fortune. Some lead to misfortune. Very few are accidental.
STOP STEALING FROM THE RICH TO GIVE TO THE POOR.
Posted by: Shane | December 9, 2009, 4:56 pm 4:56 pm
The biggest contributor to the economic collapse was the political(DEMOCRATS) push to get unqualified folks a mortgage.
And that is the truth.
Posted by: mjishernameo | December 9, 2009, 4:58 pm 4:58 pm
If arrogance put people to work, Gibbs would be the richest guy on the planet.
Posted by: Huh | December 9, 2009, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
The biggest contributor to the economic collapse was the political(DEMOCRATS) push to get unqualified folks a mortgage.
And that is the truth.
___________________________________
Your cliche is inaccurate . . .
“President Bush announced an Administration effort to increase home ownership rates among African Americans and Hispanics by 5.5 million by 2010.
“The plan would provide down payment assistance to 40,000 minority homebuyers each year . .. Bush’s plan would be closely tied to some $440 million in minority loan programs offered by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. President Bush commended Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s efforts.”
July 2002
Bush wanted to move goverment support away from rental assistance for the poor to home ownership assistance for the poor. Bush was the Republican president, not a Democrat.
Posted by: tierra | December 9, 2009, 5:10 pm 5:10 pm
The blame game doesn’t work and yet Gibbs turns around and complains this economic problem is Bush’s fault.
Yeah Gibbsy old boy… how about that?
Posted by: Denbo | December 9, 2009, 5:17 pm 5:17 pm
So Gibby is saying that all this spending won’t cause my taxes to go up…
Is he referring to people with jobs or people without.
I guess only Republican spokemouths are the ones to get ripped in the media, because this guy is a boob.
Posted by: Rev. Dr. E. Buzz Biden-Miller, M.D., D.O | December 9, 2009, 5:25 pm 5:25 pm
“The president recognizes that the era of continued free lunches is over.”
____________________________________
Well, thank God! Now maybe the slackers (I mean the ones who are able to work and take care of themselves but choose not to) will be taken out of public housing, taken off the food stamps, removed from the Medicaid rolls, made to pay some kind of federal taxes, and so on. That’s a load off of me… their free lunches were costing me more and more tax dollars! It’ll be nice to keep some of that in my pocket now.
Before the liberal fire begins, I AM NOT referring to those who have recently lost a job or have an actual disability. They deserve some assistance.
Bully for Obama! No more free lunch!! YIPEE!!
Posted by: Shoe | December 9, 2009, 5:50 pm 5:50 pm
Posted by: Shoe | Dec 9, 2009 5:50:52 PM
Shoe sadly you missed the point (not that yours was a bad one) . .. .
“Given the fact that the largest — the largest driver in our fiscal irresponsibility were a series of programs that weren’t paid for — right? — taxes cut in 2001 and 2003 that weren’t paid for; a Medicare prescription drug benefit that wasn’t paid for; wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that weren’t paid for. Again, the debate that we’re having on health care now is partly about how to pay for it.”
Posted by: tierra | December 9, 2009, 6:12 pm 6:12 pm
Too funny, Gibberish doesn’t even see the irony (and humor) of his own statements.
The Obama administration only knows how to take other people’s pies and cut them up. They have no idea how to actually make a pie themselves.
Posted by: Simon | December 9, 2009, 6:22 pm 6:22 pm
“If the Blame Game Put People to Work, We’d All Be Rolling in Money”
So Gibbs is acknowledging that Obama’s “jobs” plan is worthless?
Posted by: malclave | December 9, 2009, 6:28 pm 6:28 pm
Gibbs should get his old job back when he played Mrs.Doubtfire.He won’t have to lie as often.
Posted by: bobmac | December 9, 2009, 6:28 pm 6:28 pm
When Bush took office all indicators said we were heading into a recession, but did Clinton get the blame or Bush. Many said that Freddie and Fannie Mae were a house of cards but Barny Frank and Maxine Waters commended them on the good job they were doing
Posted by: gsplsngr | December 9, 2009, 7:24 pm 7:24 pm
The blame game doesn’t work, and it’s all Bush’s fault?
Wow that makes my head hurt. Maybe someone could explain basic logic to Gibbs so he doesn’t spout blatant contradictions?
Posted by: Ertdfg | December 9, 2009, 7:47 pm 7:47 pm
Jake
Do you think that Gibbs knows at all how stupid he sounds?
Posted by: drjohn | December 9, 2009, 8:08 pm 8:08 pm
“To the extent that there were mistakes in housing policy that contributed to the recession, those were necessarily committed by Bush political appointees at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and other agencies. ”
From the NYTimes, 9/11/03:
The Bush administration today recommended the most significant regulatory overhaul in the housing finance industry since the savings and loan crisis a decade ago.
Under the plan, disclosed at a Congressional hearing today, a new
agency would be created within the Treasury Department to assume supervision of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored companies that are the two largest players in the mortgage lending industry.
The new agency would have the authority, which now rests with Congress, to set one of the two capital-reserve requirements for the companies. It would exercise authority over any new lines of business. And it would determine whether the two are adequately managing the risks of their ballooning portfolios. .
Posted by: Sigmonde | December 9, 2009, 8:19 pm 8:19 pm
The blame game doesn’t work, and it’s all Bush’s fault?
Wow that makes my head hurt. Maybe someone could explain basic logic to Gibbs so he doesn’t spout blatant contradictions?
Posted by: Ertdfg |
It’s Bush’s fault that Gibbsy has to play the blame game which doesn’t work which is also Bush’s fault.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | December 9, 2009, 8:34 pm 8:34 pm
The Bush administration today recommended the most significant regulatory overhaul in the housing finance industry since the savings and loan crisis a decade ago.
______________________________________
“Mr. Bush did foresee the danger posed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored mortgage finance giants. The president spent years pushing a recalcitrant Congress to toughen regulation of the companies, but was unwilling to compromise when his former Treasury secretary wanted to cut a deal. And the regulator Mr. Bush chose to oversee them — an old prep school buddy — pronounced the companies sound even as they headed toward insolvency.”
Also NYTimes December 21, 2008
Posted by: tierra | December 9, 2009, 8:37 pm 8:37 pm
Re: Also NYTimes December 21, 2008
The article fails to mention Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, or even Maxine Waters, who famously uttered, “We do not have a crisis at Freddie Mac and particularly Fannie Mae under the outstanding leadership of Frank Raines.”
Huh? Crisis? What crisis?
Posted by: Sigmonde | December 9, 2009, 8:59 pm 8:59 pm
Posted by: Sigmonde | Dec 9, 2009 8:59:09 PM
Bush is the one who made the mistake of trying to push home ownership for the poor over rental assistance for the poor. A ‘nice’ idea but a disaster for the mortgage industry – and us.
“President Bush announced an Administration effort to increase home ownership rates among African Americans and Hispanics by 5.5 million by 2010.
“The plan would provide down payment assistance to 40,000 minority homebuyers each year . .. Bush’s plan would be closely tied to some $440 million in minority loan programs offered by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. President Bush commended Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s efforts . . .”
That was his agenda – and it had disastrous results.
Posted by: tierra | December 9, 2009, 9:12 pm 9:12 pm
America to Gibbs: If giving $6M stimulus dollars to Hillary’s pollster put people to work, you could be a snarky jerk.
Posted by: Huh? | December 9, 2009, 9:13 pm 9:13 pm
You mean Bush isn’t to blame?
Posted by: Lone Star Rules | December 9, 2009, 9:30 pm 9:30 pm
That was his agenda – and it had disastrous results.
Posted by: tierra |
Yeah. The democrats were up in arms against the whole time too.
NOT.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | December 9, 2009, 9:38 pm 9:38 pm
“Well that certainly worked out well, didn’t it, Sigmonde? (wink, wink,nod, nod)”
What role did Barney Frank and Herb Moses play in this financial meltdown?
Posted by: Sigmonde | December 9, 2009, 9:39 pm 9:39 pm
Posted by: Sigmonde | Dec 9, 2009 9:39:05 PM
” . .. the regulator Mr. Bush chose to oversee (Fannie and Freddie)— an old prep school buddy — pronounced the companies sound even as they headed toward insolvency.”
Posted by: tierra | December 9, 2009, 9:56 pm 9:56 pm
” . .. the regulator Mr. Bush chose to oversee (Fannie and Freddie)— an old prep school buddy — pronounced the companies sound even as they headed toward insolvency.”
Are you referring to Charles Lockhart, who stayed on with the Obama administration until recently? Certainly Mr. Lockhart’s CV trumps his “prep school buddy” characterization. Ya think? Or do you need a google cut/paste to find an answer?
Posted by: Sigmonde | December 9, 2009, 10:09 pm 10:09 pm
tierra,
So now you are blaming the condition of Freddie and Fannie on the Bush administration? If so, then make your case – this one will be real interesting to hear.
While you are at it let us know how Barney Frank played in the unfolding of the insolvency that ensued shortly after he proclaimed that both institutions were solvent and viable.
Posted by: Lone Star Rules | December 9, 2009, 10:14 pm 10:14 pm
“Make your case, but if its the usual talking points that have been debunked endlessly, I’ll have to point that out alongside all the Republicans you left out.”
It’s a simple question. Can’t find a google cut/paste response? I understand.
Posted by: Sigmonde | December 9, 2009, 10:25 pm 10:25 pm
Are you referring to Charles Lockhart, who stayed on with the Obama administration until recently?
____________________________________
If it is, he didn’t last very long in the new administration.
Posted by: tierra | December 9, 2009, 10:25 pm 10:25 pm
“If it is, he didn’t last very long in the new administration.”
He quit. Can’t blame him.
Posted by: Sigmonde | December 9, 2009, 10:37 pm 10:37 pm
“Let’s hear it. It’s YOUR point.”
It’s a simple question. Do you not know the difference between a question and a point? Here’s some help – a question ends with a question mark. A point ends with a period. Why the confusion?
Posted by: Sigmonde | December 9, 2009, 10:47 pm 10:47 pm
So now you are blaming the condition of Freddie and Fannie on the Bush administration?
___
LOL!! Are you claiming the Bush admin wasn’t to blame– somehow they magically emerge blameless and unscathed– and are you willing to go full hog and say the Republican led Congress from 1995 to 2007 isnt responsible either? This ought to be REALLY good– let’s see if you can make that case without any of the usualand oft-debunked Republican blame game propaganda.
_________________________________
Haven’t heard a response on this – just an evasion.
Posted by: tierra | December 9, 2009, 10:56 pm 10:56 pm
For a second there I thought Gibbs was a Republican!
This country’s definitely followed the rabbit down the hole.
Posted by: RR GOP | December 9, 2009, 10:58 pm 10:58 pm
“Haven’t heard a response on this – just an evasion.”
What role do you think Barney Frank and Herb Moses played in the financial meltdown? A simple question.
Posted by: Sigmonde | December 9, 2009, 11:02 pm 11:02 pm
“Haven’t heard a response on this – just an evasion.”
What role do you think Barney Frank and Herb Moses played in the financial meltdown? A simple question.
_____________________________________
One good evasion deserves another . ..
“Are you claiming the Bush admin wasn’t to blame– somehow they magically emerge blameless and unscathed– and are you willing to go full hog and say the Republican led Congress from 1995 to 2007 isnt responsible either? This ought to be REALLY good– let’s see if you can make that case without any of the usualand oft-debunked Republican blame game propaganda.”
Posted by: tierra | December 9, 2009, 11:24 pm 11:24 pm
tierra,
I have a meeting this morning or I would respond in my detail to your post.It is clear to me that you have a limited understanding of how Freddie and Fannie work and who controls them and how that process worked in the Bush administration.
If I have time this afternoon I will lay it out for you in some detail. In the meantime if you happen across the names of Christopher Dodd and Barney Frank you might take a gander at their roles, their records and their oversight of their respective committees. You might also take a looksee at their insistence on the large banks to open up lending to less credit worthy borrowers.
Turns out the Executive branch of government had limited power (its Constitutional thing) and oversight of Freddie and Fannie belongs to the Senate Banking Committee and the House Financial Committees.
As mentioned, if I have some time this afternoon I will be glad to lay out the way this worked and continues to work. The Bush administration had little influence on the activities of these institutions – in fact, their efforts to stop Freddie and Fannie from providing a market for these products could not get any traction and they tried repeatedly to pull in their reigns. It might be argued that the Bush administration did not do enough to stop Freddie and Fannie from continuing these practices – maybe. But the prime movers were Dodd and Frank.
Posted by: Lone Star Rules | December 10, 2009, 7:29 am 7:29 am
And in the very next breath, Baghdad Bob lamented how Obama inherited all these disasters from Bush. Seriously.
Posted by: I'm not a President, but I Play One on TV | December 10, 2009, 9:05 am 9:05 am
Gibbs takes more defensive moves than the best of the NFL. I really wish he would read his job description….if he has one. His job is to be the talking mouthpiece for the President…..the higher level job description would be the one which requires that he give the President a blow by blow of what is on the assembled reporters’ minds….but that is much too advanced for Gibbs…..as long as he wallows in his childish snide comments it won’t be long before the POTUS says arrevederci….the man is totally miscast for his part in the administration.
Posted by: justj joey | December 10, 2009, 10:07 am 10:07 am
If you’re going to parrot Limbaugh or Rove on this, you may also want to run them through fact check sites– to make sure you actually understand the blame game being played.
Posted by: Colette | Dec 10, 2009 11:11:53 AM
***********
Sorry Colette – you’ve lost the pr war on this. The majority of Americans associate the fannie/freddie mess to Democrats – particularly Frank, Dodd, Reid, Pelosi. We know Bush tried to regulate it and the democrat majority in congress stopped that.
Dodd will lose his seat. Reid will lose his seat and we can move on. Interesting poll out today with all the facts coming out about the damage the dems have done since 2006 – and Bush hasn’t had to make a peep. Bush’s and Cheney’s approval numbers are going up and obama’s are going down.
It’s all about exposing the truth and facts. People are watching and listening and will not be brainwashed by the mighty obama pr machine that George Soros funds.
Posted by: Jenny | December 10, 2009, 3:02 pm 3:02 pm
If the blame game put people to work, we’d all be rolling in money. The blame game — I’m glad some people want to continue playing the blame game. That doesn’t work. That doesn’t get anybody a job. It doesn’t cut people’s taxes.
This is funny stuff coming from an
administration that has blamed
Former President Bush for every
problem under the sun since it took
over almost a year ago!
Anytime a member of the press
questions President Obama’s failed
foreign policy initiatives or his
failed economic policies he refers to
the mess he inherited ad nausium.
Gibbs and the president ought to
take their own advice!
Posted by: reaganfan | December 10, 2009, 4:55 pm 4:55 pm
As for brainwashing, read up on the Koch brothers and Rupert Murdoch, Jenny. Its sad when puppets can’t even see the strings moving them, let alone free themselves.
Posted by: Colette | Dec 10, 2009 4:19:35 PM
**********
Just like the obama campaign dumbed down “change” and no one who voted for him knew what that means. That says a lot about people like you who voted for him. LOL!
Thankfully, the intelligent people are waking up and realizing he was hiding what he truly was and was going to do. Average Americans don’t like what he selling now and are saying so.
Keep up the PR spin for him though – I’m sure it’s a thankless job.
Posted by: Jenny | December 10, 2009, 5:50 pm 5:50 pm
By the way, Collette, you failed to identify your enemy. I’m an Independent who for the first time voted and campaigned for a Democrat – Hillary Clinton. I will never make that mistake again after this obama fiasco.
Posted by: Jenny | December 10, 2009, 5:52 pm 5:52 pm
Dean Baker notes, “Fannie and Freddie got into subprime junk and helped fuel the housing bubble, but they were trailing the irrational exuberance of the private sector. They lost market share in the years 2002-2007, as the volume of private issue mortgage backed securities exploded.”
Posted by: Colette | Dec 10, 2009 7:41:52 PM
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Yes I’m using PR, specifically let me note that the American PEOPLE are paying a PR debt for OBAMA – to Mark Penn’s PR firm through STIMULUS FUNDS. Interesting – yes it is true the liberals rely on using PR to sway the American public with their lies and distortions. But your way of thinking is not the norm in this country and it is becoming more apparent every day until you will see the result in the election of 2010 and 2012.
I am disgusted that the average American has to pay a liberal PR bill.
Posted by: Jenny | December 11, 2009, 7:54 am 7:54 am